May 20, 1897 – At just the second-ever playing of the British Open Men’s Golf, an amateur player took the tournament. Englishman Harold Hilton won the Open title by overcoming Scotland’s James Braid by 1 stroke at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. There have been only six times in history that an amateur has won the Open.
The British Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world and one of the most respected. Originally it was founded in 1860 and was held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.
Years later in 1873, the venue started to rotate among a select group of coastal links golf courses in the United Kingdom including St. Andrews, Musselburgh, Muirfield, Royal St. Georges, and others. Winners now get to claim the trophy known as the Claret Jug.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network

Sports History On This Day: March 18
On March 18, 1892, the governor-general of Canada, a certain man named Fredrick Arthur,

Super Bowl XXXII (Broncos vs. Packers): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XXXII, which was held on January 25, 1998, at

Doug Atkins: Strongest Man In Football
He was an imposing figure, whether tracking down opposing quarterbacks or selling caskets. At
Remembering Walter Gretzky: “Canada’s Hockey Dad”
Canada’s population is quickly approaching 38 million people, and if social media is any

Super Bowl XXXI (Patriots vs. Packers): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XXXI, which was held on January 26, 1997, at

Ken Patera – The Great American Weightlifter and Professional Wrestler
If you’re a fan of professional wrestling or weightlifting, you’re probably familiar with the

Guy Chamberlin: The Mysterious Disappearance of the NFL’s Winningest Coach
When his coaching career ended almost 95 years ago, he was so successful that
Willie O’Ree Was 1st – Who Was The NHL’s 2nd Black Player?
We all know that Willie O’Ree was the first black player in the National